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Nepal closes trekking route after 38 die in storm

October 19, 2014

KATMANDU – Nepalese officials closed a section of a popular Himalayan trekking route Sunday after rescuers, overwhelmed with last week’s snowstorms that killed 38 hikers, had to bring to safety new climbers who set out on the same mountain trails where the blizzards struck.

As the weather cleared, new climbers were already making their way up the same trail despite obvious dangers, prompting the government to close the route, Chokhyal said. “Our rescuers and helicopters ended up having to bring down these new people while we were still trying to reach the ones who were stranded by the blizzard,” he said. “It was burdening and confusing the rescuers so they had to be stopped.” The route was deemed unsafe and invisible in many sections because of the snow dumped by the blizzard.